Shindig! #175 – Deep Cuts: Mood Swings – Michael D’Addario of The Lemon Twigs “moody teen beat” choices

The mid-60s witnessed an explosion in independently produced, often provincial teen-garage and folk-rock laments, for the which the term “moody” barely scratches the surface. MICHAEL D’ADDARIO, with help from brother BRIAN and fellow Twig REZA MATIN, holds back the tears while unveiling “the most broken-down sounding depressing garage records I could think of”

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THE OCTIVES
Laughing At Me
(B-side, Amway, 1965)
Definitely one of my favourite songs of all time. Nobody likes to be laughed at. The kid comes off vengeful, saying “You’re laughing, but you’re gonna cry.” How he’s gonna make her cry when she’s the one laughing at HIM, I do not know. Kind of scary. His nasal voice and intense attitude make me believe  him… Very shambolic backing and you couldn’t ask for a more unique voice. This could be an anthem for outcasts everywhere. 10/10.

THE PERSONS 
Young Girl
(B-side, Olympic, 1968)
Apparently, they get just as depressed in sunny Athens, Greece as they do everywhere else in the world. I’m not exactly sure what happened with the lead Person and the Young Girl. It sounds like maybe she left him and he wants her back. Such is life. You can hear the longing in his voice as he remembers her face and eyes. Epic 12-string lead outro.

FERRIS WHEEL
Cherrie 42553
(B-side, Randolph, 1966)
We get hit with some spoken word in the middle of the song. The singer says, “This is the number of a girl I used to call each day. But now my heart is broken. I guess I’ll just be on my way.” Pitiful. Which is why it’s on the list.

SATAN’S SINNERS
Why Don’t They Leave Us Alone
(B-side, United Kombos, 1966)
“Why don’t they let us fall in love?” We’ll run away and get married, anyhow… This trope is set over an especially murky backing track. It sounds like it was recorded in a dingy, mildewy, concrete closet. Leonard Smith sounds pretty young on this record. Maybe his parents have good reason to keep him and his lover away from one and other. Or maybe their high-school cliques are keeping them apart. But the heart wants what the heart wants.

THE LIGHT BRIGADE
Won’t You Tell Me
(B-side, My, 1967)
This record has some really cool shit going on. The way the story is told through call and response… The “background vocal” finishes the lead vocalist’s thought in a very untraditional way. It’s almost like the other guy is his hype man. Apparently, it’s a band of brothers, so I’m assuming these are two of the three. And then the incredibly high bass part that suddenly drops down and fills out the track at the one-minute mark, accompanied by a very peculiar key change. A very odd and cool record!

THE GNOMES
The Sky Is Falling
(A-side, Afton, 1966)
While the sheep have their petty squabbles, hoods and businessmen alike hustle here and there, some teenaged guys are competing for chicks, here I stand the world weighing heavy on my mind, watching it all go down. I’m the only one who knows what’s goin’ on. Not even you do, girl. And what IS going on? Well, the sky is falling. The world is on fire. In spite of the chaos, I maintain my cool. I retain my title as the coolest, most turned on head this ball of dirt and water has ever seen. An outcast, maybe, but I know what I’m doin’… man. The bass chords give it an extra special sound.

MARTY TAYLOR
Only Yesterday
(A-side, Radex, 1965)
The world can certainly change very quickly. Marty Taylor knows this now, as Only Yesterday she said “three things” to him. Were the three things “I love you”? Love can be that way sometimes, especially in those high-school days. But I’m sure he went on to have a fruitful love life somewhere in the great state of Illinois. Another peculiar key change happens early on in the song. It’s not as moody as the other songs here but still has a forlorn quality that I really love.

US KIDS 
I Love The Rain
(B-side, Rex, 1966)
Dennis Chitwood, the singer on this record, is literally 13 years old. He has a kind of a positive attitude which contrasts with the down energy of the track. Most of these type of songs deal with the pain of love and heartbreak. Not so in this case. He LOVES the rain. What a moody, cool thing to love. It reminds him of the places he used to go. 

 

UNKNOWN ARTIST
Time Is Goin’ On
(IGL Dance Jamboree ’66, Arf! Arf! CD, 1994)
It doesn’t get much more mysterious than not knowing the name of the group who does the song. This has a classic garage backing, with some arpeggiating guitars and dinky little side-stick drumming. About heartbreak, of course. Can’t go wrong. Bit of a rough voice, singer sounds like a cool, honourable guy.

WWH  (WE WANT HELP) 
Tell Me Why People Don’t Like Me
(Real Garage Punk From Sweden 1966!, Subliminal Sounds, 2000)
Pretty heavy, so maybe not a typical “moody” song, but I’ll be damned if this singer (Lars Dankwardt-Liljeström) is not in a MOOD. He is scary, simply put. “Tell meeee, the reason why people don’t like mehh!” I think we know why they don’t like you, bro. You have to chill!

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